Adjustable clothesline prop



Dec. 7, 19 48.

J. E. SWALINKAVICH, JR., ETAL 2,455,448

ADJUSTABLE CLOTHESLINE PROP Filed Oct. 4, 1945 J'a/wr 7100/1004 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1948 ADJUSTABLE CLOTHESLINE PROP Joseph E. Swalinkavich, Jr., Robbinsdale, and John '1. Donovan, Minneapolis, Minn; said Donovan assignor to said Swalinkavich, Jr.

' Application October 4, 1945, Serial No. 620,292

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in clothesline props and, more particularly, to an adjustable clothesline prop.

The objects of the invention are to provide: first, a clothesline prop that can be quickly and easily adjusted to vary the operative length thereof; second, to provide an adjustable clothesline prop in which the sections thereof are positively held where adjusted; third, to provide an adjustable clothesline prop that can be shortened to a length that facilitates the carrying and storing thereof; and fourth, to provide an adjustable clothesline prop that is extremely simple, of relatively small cost to manufacture and in which the parts thereof can be quickly and easily assembled.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved clothesline prop;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the upper loop and adjacent portion of the prop sections, full size;

Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, full size;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the lower loop and adjacent portions of the prop section, full scale; and

Fig. 6 is a right-hand elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

The clothesline prop comprises upper and lower substantially duplicate sections 1 and 8, respectively. These prop sections 1 and 8, as shown, are each a strip of wood that is rectangular in cross-section. In the upper end of the upper prop section 7 is a notch 9 for a clothesline, not shown.

The prop sections 1 and 8 are adjustably connected by upper and lower loops Ill and II, respectively. The upper end of the lower prop section 8 is inwardly beveled from the outer side thereof. These loops ID and I l are each formed of a round rod bent into the form of a yoke, the legs of the upper loop l0 being cross-connected by a flat metal plate l2, the end portions of which are rolled around said legs and rigidly secured thereto. This plate l2 rests flatwise on the beveled upper end of the lower prop section 8 and is secured thereto by screws l3. The upper prop section 1 is extended endwise through the upper loop ID for endwise sliding adjustment.

It is important to note that the loop l0 projects outwardly and upwardly from the lower prop section 8. The distance the outer transverse portion of the loop 10 is from the lower prop section 8 is such that when the upper prop section 1 is fiatwise against the lower prop section 8, said upper section is pressed by the loop I!) against the lower prop section 8.

The end portions of the legs of the lower loop H are turned inwardly to aiford a pair of hinge pins l4. These hinge pins M are mounted in a transverse notch l5 in the outer side of the upper prop section 1. The hinge pins 14 are held in the notch [5 by the body of a finger-piece I8 which overlies said notch and is secured by screws I! to the upper prop section 1.

The lower prop section 8 extends through the lower loop I l and has in its outer side a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse lock notches l8 for the transverse portion of the loop I I.

To adjust the clothesline prop for different lengths, the upper prop section 'I is lifted slightly relative to the lower prop section 8, to release the loop H from the engaged notch l8. Then by moving the upper prop section 1 angularly relative to the lower prop section 8, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3, the same may be freely moved endwise through the upper loop l0. When the upper prop section 1 is adjusted to approximately the desired height, the same is moved inwardly against the lower prop section 8 and then endwise adjusted to a position in which the loop ll, while held in an upturned position, may be placed in the adjacent notch 18.

The weight of a line in the notch 9 on which clothes are hung will press the upper prop section I downwardly and thereby cause the upturned lower loop II to draw the upper prop section I tightly against the lower prop section 8. Extending the upper loop 18 obliquely above the lower prop section 8 gives a large working clearance for the upper prop section 1 in said loop when positioned angularly, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3.

The prop sections 1 and 8 are approximately the same length and may be quickly and easily adjusted for a low, high, or sagging clothesline. Said prop sections 1 and 8, when adjusted to their shortest length, may be carried indoors and stored in a, relatively small space.

What we claim is:

1. A prop of the class described comprising upper and lower sections, the upper end of said lower section being beveled, an upper loop formed of a rod bent in the form of a yoke, a flat plate secured to the legs of said loop, resting. on the beveled end of said lower section and supporting said upper loop upwardly and outwardly inclined, said upper section extending through said upper loop to be pressed thereby against said lower section, a lower loop hinged to said upper section and through which said lower section extends, and lock notches in the lower section for said hinged loop.

2. A prop of the class described: comprising upper and lower overlapping sections, means rigid on the upper end of the lower section for biting engagement with the upper section when the two sections are substantially parallel, said upper section' being free for tilting movement over the upper end of the lower section to release the same from the biting of said means, and means cooperating with the first noted means for holding the sections substantially parallel.

3. A prop of the class described comprising upper and lower overlapping sections, an upwardly and outwardly inclined loop rigidly secured to the lower section at its upper end, said upper section extending through the loop with said loop biting the same when the two sections are substantially parallel, said upper section being free for tilting movement over the upper end of the lower section to release the-same from the biting of the loop, and means cooperating with the loop' for holding the two sections substantially parallel.

4. A prop of the class described comprising upper and lower overlapping sections, an upwardly and outwardly inclined upper loop rigidly secured on the upper end of the lower section with the upper section. extending therethrough, said upper loop having biting engagement with the upper section when substantially parallel to the lower section, a lower loop hingedly mounted in a seat in theupper section, a finger piece on the upper section holding the lower loop in its seat, said lower loop being normally upwardly and outwardly inclinedwith the lower section extending therethrough, said upper section having longitudinally spacedlock notches for the lower loop, saidllower loop permitting the lower portions of the upper section to be moved outwardly from the lower section, whereby the upper portion of the upper section will be tilted over theupper end of said: lower section, and thereby release the upper section from the'biting' engagement of the upper-loop.

JOSEPH EL SWALINKAVICH', Jm JOHN T. DONOVAN REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 866,199- Haas Sept. 17, 1907 1,223,367 Brown Apr. 24, I917 

